The key quotes from Glasner’s pre-Bournemouth press conference
When Crystal Palace visits Bournemouth on Boxing Day (Thursday, December 26 at 15:00 GMT), Oliver Glasner feels the team needs to learn from their mistakes against Arsenal.
The Eagles boss also talked about Bournemouth’s strengths as a team, the importance of being effective in front of goal, and how he and his players will find the time to enjoy the celebrations this year.
“IT’S ALL ABOUT LEARNING”
Therefore, it’s not about the entire defensive because I was critical of box defending on Saturday. We performed admirably, in my opinion, in applying pressure, forcing Arsenal to retreat in their build-up, and winning balls.
Will Hughes once slid in, I believe, eight yards in front of their goal, nearly leaving us with an empty net goal. We performed admirably for a large portion of the game when defending in the midfield block under extreme pressure, but our box defence was insufficient.
We can see all of their objectives. They gave their players two or three yards of space, but we can’t allow them that much or they’ll score. We had to mark the players closer, but it wasn’t a tactical issue or an underload; we were primarily at least equal numbers or plus one, whatever we wanted to do it.
This is what occasionally occurs. We mark them before the cross is given because you monitor the ball, the striker moves behind your back, and you don’t know where he is. Then the cross comes, and it comes flawlessly.
This is what we showed the players. It’s all about learning. They always talked about it. When you play against the top teams in the Premier League, against the top teams in the world, you can learn a lot, and this is what we showed them, and this is what we will work on, of course.
“IN ANY GAME THERE ARE KEY MOMENTS”
Any game, in my opinion, has pivotal moments. In this case, we’re talking about Arsenal, and while Crystal Palace does not defeat them annually, we must be nearly flawless in every aspect of the game if we hope to defeat them.
We had fifteen shots at them. Given their strong defence and some significant opportunities, it’s a hefty sum.
The best teams exhibit this as well. We got off to a fantastic start in the second half, in my opinion. We had a chance to score the second goal and get back into the game. Additionally, I believe they ended the game with a 4-1 score in the second half.
The players constantly try, and we will strive to do what the best teams are doing. And it’s not to be critical of them. This is merely an analysis of the game and the reasons why Arsenal is vying for the Premier League title while Crystal Palace is not.
“BOURNEMOUTH ARE VERY STRONG”
They’ve had a fantastic job from their manager [Andoni Iraola] and I also think the players, alongside Tottenham, they play at the highest intensity. They have the most pace, so much pace, in their attack.
In their midfield, they’re everywhere, and that’s why they can play at that high intensity. They always make pressure. They can take off the right full-back and bring in a No. 6 as a full-back, so he needs to have pace, and he has, because he can play there.
They go very direct in behind, making all those runs in behind with [Antoine] Semenyo, with Evanilson, with [Justin] Kluivert, with [Dango] Outtara, and then if you defend it, sometimes then you block the crosses or the passes into the middle, then they get set-plays, and they are very strong also with set-plays.
Now, they’ve had five penalties and when look at how the penalties happen, it is always… I think [Manchester United’s Noussair] Mazraoui was just one half-a-step slower than Kluivert, the same against Wolves, because they have so much pace and they make these runs.
This is, I think, excellent work, how the team is sticking together, and excellent work from their manager and so they get the benefit.
I also think what they have really done well – and then it’s over with all the praise for Bournemouth! – is they lost [Dominic] Solanke for a lot of money, but they replaced him with a top striker [Evanilson] from the Portuguese league from FC Porto. And this, I think, they did really well.
“THE PLAYERS CAN CELEBRATE WITH THEIR FAMILIES”
We must, of course, attempt to concentrate on the games. Tomorrow, we’ll train a little earlier than normal, after which [the players] can return home and enjoy their celebrations with their loved ones.
After that, we head to Bournemouth in the evening and spend the night in a hotel there. To find the blend, we need this.
However, I reminded the guys today. We all know that you have to work on Christmas Day as soon as you sign a Premier League contract. It’s nothing to be upset about; it’s simply the timetable.
I bring it up a lot. We continue to be in a really fortunate position, in my opinion. I know a lot of nurses. Numerous police officers, cab drivers, servers, etc. Since so many people have to work throughout the Christmas season, I don’t see anything wrong with it.
We’ll just do the best of it and find some hours for the players where they can celebrate with their families, and this is what we did.
MATCH DETAILS
- Thursday, 26th December
- 15:00 GMT
- Vitality Stadium
- Live audio commentary on Palace TV+
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